Worldsmart: Gestures around the World

Body gestures have different
meanings according to the country in which they are expressed. We
shall seek to examine the proper body etiquette in the nations of
the world on a per continent basis. We shall begin our review
with Europe.

NOTE: The information provided here does not attempt to generalize a whole population of a country. The information is provided for entertainment purposes only.

While dining, keep your hands on the table. Putting your
hands on your lap during dining is seen as rude.

To signal for a waiter in a restaurant, you should raise your hand with the index
finger extended.

To wish someone good luck, make two fists (with your thumbs tucked inside the fists), and
make as a gesture like you are slightly pounding on a
table.

To specify the number "one", use your upright
thumb.

While driving, a rude gesture in Austria would be to
twist your finger in a motion toward your head. This
specifies that you think the other motorist is
"crazy"!

Belgium

To point with your index finger is considered impolite.

When you meet a good friend in Belgium, you would greet
them with a kiss. This would be done by brushing your
lips against the other person's check three times in a
row...one cheek, the other cheek, and then back again to
the first cheek.

When you are talking with someone, do not place your hand
or hands in your pockets. This is considered rude.

To slap someone on the back or to be noisy are both very
rude gestures in Belgium.

It is poor manners to put your feet on a table or chair.
Also, do not try to yawn, blow your nose, sneeze, or
scratch yourself in the presence of others. Using a
toothpick is also frowned upon when you are with company.

Bulgaria

The handshake is the usual form of greeting people in
Bulgaria.

When dining, keep both your wrists on the table.

To signal NO, nod your head up and down. To signal YES, shake your head back and forth.
This is the opposite of in the United States.

To signal someone is crazy, take your forefinger and
point it to your temple in a rotating motion.

The signal for victory, is to
make a V sign with your two fingers. This also signals
the number "two" in Bulgaria.

Commonwealth of Independent States

A firm handshake with direct eye contact is the common
greeting in the republics of the former Soviet Union.
However, among close friends, many residents greet good
friends with a "Russian bear hug", which would
be to hug someone heartily and then kiss the person two
or three times on alternating cheeks, with sometimes a
final kiss directly on the lips. This is behavior
accepted both towards men and women. However, in
Uzbekistan, to add a kiss would be inappropriate.

There are 15 diverse republics within the CIS, thus
certain body gestures may be influenced by local flavor.

When there is a public gathering, people signal their
disapproval or disagreement by whistling.

When you are in a theatre and must pass someone within a
row to get to your seat, ALWAYS pass the person facing
them. Never pass in front of a seated person with your
back to that person.

The OK sign is interpreted as a vulgar gesture in some
parts of the CIS

To show disagreement and anger, raise your fist and shake
it. To show approval, give the "thumbs up"
sign.

Waiting in line is an everyday chore in the CIS. Thus, be
polite while you are in line, and NEVER cut in front of
someone else in a line.

Remember that most residents of the CIS are rather stoic
in public, however, they are more expressive when they
gather with family and close friends.

Czech Republic

Always shake hands while in a formal or informal
atmosphere. This applies to both your arrival and
departure.

To make a toast while dining is common, but please wait
until your host begins.

While dining, signal that you are finished eating by
placing your knife and fork side by side to one side of
your plate. To signal you are just pausing, place your
knife and fork in a criss-cross pattern on your plate.

Try to not place your elbows on the table while dining.

Never applaud while in a church, whether you are there
for a wedding, concert, or other event.

Denmark

When meeting someone, a firm, brief handshake is common.
Children will offer to shake your hand, and are taught to
make direct eye contact with their host for the first
time. Always shake a woman's hand before the hand of the
gentlemen in a group situation. Please stand to shake
hands with another person if you are seated.

While driving, it is considered rude to make the
following gesture to another driver: point your index
finger at your temple and rotate it back and forth.

Formal dinner parties are commonplace in Denmark, thus
dress appropriately. If you are a man, you will most
likely be presented with a card detailing the name of
your female dining companion who will sit to your right.
Upon being introduced to the woman, please escort her to
the table at the appropriate time.

To toast someone in Denmark, please wait for your host to
begin. Then, before you sip your drink, look around at
the rest of the group, or toast one person directly.
Then, sip your drink and once again gain eye contact.

England (United Kingdom)

To signal a waiter in a restaurant for the
"bill", make a motion with both of your hands
as if you were signing your name on a piece of paper.

Loud talking and other forms of noisy behavior should
always be avoided.

Try not to stare at anyone in public. Privacy is highly
regarded in the United Kingdom.

To wait in line in the United Kingdom is to "queue
up". You must never "jump the queue" which
would be to push your way into a line of other people.

When drinking in a pub, pick up your change after you pay
for your drink. If you leave it there, as you might in
the United States, would imply that you are leaving a
tip. Tipping is not extremely widespread in British pubs.

An offensive gesture in England would be the V for victory sign done with your
palm facing yourself.

Finland

Emotions are not openly expressed in
Finland, unless among close friends or relatives.

When dining with the Finnish, do not
begin to eat before your host does. Also, eat slowly
because you are expected to eat everything on your plate.

When you are dining in Finland, do not
pass the salt hand-to-hand. This is considered bad luck.
Instead, put the salt shaker down on the table and let
the other person pick it up.

Do not stand
with your arms folded in Finland as this is
considered a sign of arrogance.

When yawning, always remember to cover your mouth.

France

In France, a light, quick handshake is
common. You shake hands frequently in France, particulary upon
arrivals and departures. To offer a strong, pumping handshake would be
considered uncultured. When you enter a room, be sure to
greet each person present. A woman in France will offer
her hand first.

If on a business trip, be sure to carry
a supply of business cards, as they are exchanged
frequently.

Some common gestures to be refrained
from in public in France include: chewing gum, yawning,
scratching, or having loud conversations. Also, do not
rest your feet on a chair or table.

Two vulgar gestures in France would be
to snap the fingers of both hands, or slap an open palm
over a closed fist.

When in a restaurant, you should signal
a waiter by tipping your head slightly backward and
saying Monsieur ("Sir").

When in Paris, you would signal a taxi
by snapping your fingers.

When dining, do not eat sandwiches with
your fingers. Instead, use a knife and fork.

Fruit is peeled with a knife and eaten
with a fork.

The following gestures are unique to France:

Forming a circle with your
thumb and forefinger and placing it over your nose, indicates another person is drunk.

Form a circle with your
thumb and forefinger (the OK sign) to signify the number zero or the
concept of something being "worthless".

Playing an imaginary flute signifies that someone is talking too much and is becoming annoying.

When driving, raise your
hand in the air, fingers up, and rotate your hand back
and forth. to let another person know you are unhappy with their driving.

It is impolite to shake someone's hand
with your other hand in your pocket. Children are often
scolded for putting their hands in their pockets because
this is seen as a sign of disrespect.

Never open a closed door without first
knocking.

If you are in a group situation, and
wish to express your thanks, clasp your hands together
and raise them high above your head.

If you are dining in a busy restaurant
and there are empty seats at your table, and no other
tables available, then the host may seat other people at
your table. This is a common practice in Germany, and you
do not have an obligation to speak with the other people
at your table, unless you feel inclined.

If you are talking with someone, do not
chew gum. This is considered very rude. To do so would
remind a German person of "a cow chewing on a
cud".

When a man and woman walk together, the
man walks on the left side of the woman. This is due to
the fact that Germans consider this a romantic gesture
because one's heart is on the left side of the body).
However, the man will walk on the side closest to traffic
when the couple are on a busy street.

To wave goodbye, raise your hand upward, with your palm out and wave your fingers up
and down. Don't waggle your hand back and forth, because
this would symbolize the idea of "NO".

To signal the number "ONE", hold your thumb
upright.

In various parts of Germany, if you arrive at a dinner
table and you are unable to shake everyone's hand due to
the arrangement of the seating, the Germany guest will
rap his knuckles lightly on the table to signal his
greeting to everyone. This same gesture also applies to
when the person leaves the table. Also, university
students utilize this gesture in order to greet their
professors in a classroom.

Greece

To signal "NO", slightly nod your head upward,
or just lift your eyebrows upward. To signal
"YES", a Greek may tilt his head to either
side.

Greeks smile both when they are happy and when they are
upset or angry.

If you compliment a Greek, he or she may make a puffing
noise through pursed lips which is a traditional way to
ward off the "evil eye".

The moutza is a gesture
particular to Greece. It is done by waving your hand palm
out and with your fingers spread. It looks as a pushing
motion. The history in Greece to this gesture goes back
to ancient times when the faces of enemies were smeared
with dirt. Americans are familiar with this gesture as a
sign to signify stopping an action.

Lines are not orderly in Greece, so don't be surprised if
there is pushing or shoving.

The "OK" sign is a signal of a body orifice, so
do not use this gesture in Greece.

To signal everything is fine, you may use the
"thumbs up" sign. However, do not use the
"thumbs down" sign as this would be seen as
rude. This latter gesture may be used to signal your
distaste for the crazy driving of someone on the road.

When a Greek man seeks a pretty girl, he may take his and
hand and stroke his chin with his finger. If the man is
very rude, he would then either wink, hiss or make a
kissing motion with his lips at the girl.

When you are dining in Greece, note that your dessert
spoon is placed above your plate.

Folk dancing is popular in Greece. If you participate in
the dancing, this is seen as a great sign of being
friendly to and appreciative of the Greek culture.

Hungary

Hungarians are not overly demonstrative in public.
Personal space while conversing is usually at arm's
length.

To embrace someone in public in Hungary is uncommon.
However, close friends may do so after not seeing for a
long time. This gesture may then be followed by brushing
your cheek against the other person's cheek.

When dining, keep both of your hands on the table.

It is considered inappropriate to "chink" glasses in Hungary during a toast or otherwise.

Men will walk to the left of a guest, or a woman while in public.

Ireland

When you meet someone in either the Republic of Ireland
or in Northern Ireland, a firm handshake is appreciated.

Women are always seated first. The most appropriate way
to sit is to cross your ankles or one knee over the other
knee. To cross your ankle over your knee is considered
informal.

Perhaps the most offensive gesture in Ireland would be to
refuse to buy a round of drinks in a pub when it's your
turn to buy.

When waiting in a line, be respectful and never push or
shove your way ahead.

Italy

Italians are very demonstrative. When greeting each
other, you may kiss each other's cheeks, embrace warmly
and offer a long handshake.

When visiting a church in Italy, women should cover their
heads. Also, you should not wear shorts or sleeveless
blouses when touring a church.

When dining, the man should pour the wine, as it is
considered unfeminine for a woman to pour wine. Also, do
not drink too much wine during a meal because wine is
seen almost as a food, thus, over consumption is
considered rude.

To signal that you don't know or care about something in
particular, simply shrug your shoulders.

Netherlands

To signal that someone is cheap, you would rub your nose
with your forefinger from the bridge in a downward
motion.

If you would like to signal that someone is crazy, you
would tap the center of your forehead.

It is considered rude to get up during a meal to go to
the bathroom, or any other room.

Norway

You should avoid speaking in a loud voice in Norway.

If you are introduced to someone, always stand during the
introduction.

Handshakes in Norway are brief, but firm. Avoid putting
your arm around someone else, or even patting them on the
back.

When toasting in Norway, make eye contact, raise your
glass up to eye level, say "Skoal", take a
drink, make eye contact again, and then place the glass
back down on the table.

Poland

An older Polish gentleman may kiss the hand of a woman
upon introduction, but don't imitate this gesture. Women
greet their close friends by embracing briefly and
slightly kissing each other on the cheeks.

Poles do not speak in loud voices. Avoid chewing gum when
you are talking with someone.

A Pole will invite you to a drink by flicking his finger
against his neck. The drink is usually vodka, and this
gesture is usually done among close friends.

Poles are not overly demonstrative, so avoid casual body
contact, unless you're among close friends.

Portugal

To get someone's attention, a Portuguese will extend
their arm upward, palm out and wiggle the fingers up and
down, as if they were patting someone on the head.

To signal that everything's OK, use the "thumb's
up" sign, sometimes with both hands.

A gesture particular to Portugal is when you want to
signal that you have enjoyed your dinner and want to
compliment the hostess. At the end of the meal, simply
kiss the side of your index finger and then pinch your
earlobe between the kissed index finger and the thumb.

The chin flick gesture in Portugal is done by brushing your fingers (palm inward)
off the bottom of your chin and away from your face. This
signals that "I don't know". To do the same
gesture, but using the thumb would mean that something no
longer exists, or has died.

Romania

Men rise when they are introduced to a woman.

Business cards are exchanged often, so bring a large
supply with you.

When visiting a Greek Orthodox Church, women should dress
modestly with their arms covered. Skirts should be worn
instead of slacks.

When dining in Romania, several toasts will be held. The
Romanians eat with the fork in their left hand, and keep
the napkin next to the plate, rather than on the lap.

Spain

The abrazo (embrace) is common among male friends, while
women do the same, as well as make the motion of kissing
on each cheek. Men and women always shake each other's
hand upon meeting.

The "OK" sign with the thumb and forefinger in
a circle and the other fingers outward is seen as obscene
in Spain.

When seated, Spanish men will cross their legs at their
knees. It is considered "unfeminine" for women
in Spain to cross their legs.

Eye contact in Spain is important, but women should be
careful with making eye contact with strangers, as it
might signal interest of a romantic nature.

To beckon someone in Spain, stretch your arm out, with
your palm downward, and make a scratching motion toward
your body with the fingers.

Sweden

Upon meeting someone in Sweden, offer a firm handshake
and retain good eye contact.

When in public, a Swedish man will tip his hat to a
woman, and take his hat off while conversing with the
woman.

When dining, the male guest of honor sits to the left of
the hostess and the female guest of honor sits to the
right of the host.

When leaving a Swedish home, do not put your coat on
until you get to the doorway or actually step outside. If
you do so beforehand, this is seen as a rude sign of your
anxiety to leave early.

To toast in Sweden, you lift your glass, make contact
with everyone around the table, and say Skoal.
Then, take a drink, make eye contact again and put your
drink back down on the table. The host always makes the
first toast.

Switzerland

Switzerland hosts a combination of French, Italian and
German nationalities, thus, the cultural mores and
gestures of each of these countries influence Swiss
society. However, you should offer a firm handshake to
whomever you are introduced to, including children.

Good posture is important in Switzerland. Do not slouch
in your chair or stretch your legs out while sitting in
public.

Do not litter in Switzerland. The Swiss take great pride
in the tidiness of their environs, thus to litter is
considered rude.

Never smoke while dining with the Swiss.

The elderly are greatly respected in Switzerland, so be
considerate by giving up your seat on a bus or train to
an older person or help them with their luggage or
parcels.

The fondue is a popular Swiss dish. While
dining, a chaffing dished is put in the middle of a table
and it contains melted cheese or gravy and meat. The
guests use long forks to dip pieces of bread into the
cheese or gravy. Tradition says that if you drop your
bread in the community fondue pot, then you must buy wine
for everyone at the table. Another version of the
tradition is that you must kiss all members of the
opposite sex at the table.

Turkey

It is extremely offensive to show the sole of your shoe
to someone, or use your shoe to point at someone or
something. This is due to the fact that the shoe sole is
the lowest part of the body and something which is
usually dirty and soiled.

If you must smoke, please ask permission first. You
should neither smoke or eat while on a public street.

To signal NO, raise your head slightly, tip it backward,
and close your eyes.

A unique Turkish gesture to signal that something is
good, is done by holding your hand up, palm outward, and
slowly bring the fingers into the thumb, in a grasping
motion.

Before you take a photograph in Turkey, ask permission. This is especially applicable to mosques and to
individuals.

The fig gesture is considered very rude in Turkey. This is done by clenching
your hand into a fist and having your thumb protrude
between the first two fingers.